Carl W.
Active Member
Administrator
The Golden Lions
Posts: 265
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Post by Carl W. on Feb 6, 2009 14:46:38 GMT -5
Anyone who has been through the process of researching military records knows the following:
There is a lot of information out there,... but where to find it?
On this board, you can find a few good tricks and links that can be of help to those of you who want to or are in the process of researching military records.
Please feel free to post questions concerning your research projects!!
Carl
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Post by floydragsdale on Jun 23, 2009 12:02:22 GMT -5
Hello:
I'm surprised that a soldier's uniform has not been mentioned. Many Veterans saved the outfit (uniform) they were discharged in.
My outfit hangs in a closet. Ribbons, stripes, hash marks & all are still on it (it still fits me too).
Those items tell a story about the person who wore it.
Ribbons, battle stars (campaign stars) mean something.
The colored fringe on an overseas cap tells what kind of an organization a soldier served in. Light Blue for example means infantry, Red means Artillery. Each color means something.
My outfit tells what Army I was in, What Division I was with, my Rank, what theater of War I was in. The Combat Infantryman's badge (Rifle with a Wreath around it) tells that I saw combat, Three Campaign Stars on a Ribbon mean three Major Battles.
There are ways to find out (using Websites) what these things stand for.
A Soldiers uniform tells a story about the person who wore it. However, you have to know how to read it; that could help make your research much easier.
Floyd,
2nd Btn. 424th Regiment
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Carl W.
Active Member
Administrator
The Golden Lions
Posts: 265
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Post by Carl W. on Jun 23, 2009 18:16:32 GMT -5
Floyd,
very good point.
Here's a list of what the piping colors on the overseas cap stands for:
BRANCH - MAIN COLOR / SECONDARY COLOR (If Any)
•Adjutant General's Department (to 1944) - Dark Blue / Scarlet Red
•Adjutant General's Department (1944 on) - Dark Blue / White
•Army Air Corps - Ultramarine Blue / Golden Orange
•Armored Center and Units - Green / White
•Cavalry - Yellow
•Chaplins - Black
•Chemical Warfare - Colbalt Blue / Golden Yellow
•Coastal Artillery - Scarlet Red
•Commissioned Officers - Gold / Black
•Detached Enlisted Personnel - Green
•Engineer Corps - Scarlet Red / White
•Finance Department - Silver Grey / Golden Yellow
•General Grade Officers - Gold
•General Staff Corps - Gold / Black
•Inactive Reserves - Brown / White
•Infantry - Light Blue
•Inspector General Department (to 1944) - Dark Blue / Light Blue
•Inspector General Department (1944 on) - Dark Blue / White
•Judge Advocate General Department - Dark Blue / White
•Medical Department - Maroon Red / White
•Military Intelligence - Golden Yellow / Purple
•Military Police - Yellow / Green
•Militia Bureau - Dark Blue
•Ordnance Department - Crimson Red / Yellow
•USMA Permanent Professors - Scarlet Red / Silver Grey
•Quartermasters Corps - Buff Yellow
•Signal Corps - Orange / White
•Specialist's Reserve - Brown / Golden Yellow
•Tank Destroyer Units - Golden Orange / Black
•Transportation Corps - Brick Red / Golden Yellow
•Warrant Officers (to 1944) - Brown
•Warrant Officers (1944 on) - Silver / Black
•Women's Auxillary Army Corps (1942) - Old Gold / Moss Green
•Women's Army Corps (1943 on) - Old Gold / Moss Green
NOTE FROM CONNIE: unfortunately the attachment is no longer accessible
Here's a cap I have in my collection. The piping means the soldier who wore it was in the Infantry. (light blue)
Carl
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Post by connie on Jan 19, 2011 22:47:02 GMT -5
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Post by connie on Aug 11, 2013 23:33:43 GMT -5
Wandering around in the National Archives Site can get confusing. There are things I found there once that I don't know how to find again. But today I happened on this link relating to veterans records. It looks helpful! www.archives.gov/veterans/ |
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